Partnership category

You are eligible to apply for a residence class visa if you have been living with your New Zealand partner for more then 12 months. However, sufficient evidence to satisfy an immigration officer that you have been living together for12 months or more in a partnership that is genuine and stable with a New Zealand citizen or resident is a crucial part for this category.

Definition of ‘genuine and stable’ partnership

A partnership is genuine and stable if an immigration officer is satisfied that it:

a. is genuine, because it has been entered into with the intention of being maintained on a long-term and exclusive basis; and

b. is stable, because it is likely to endure.

Your New Zealand partner is the supporter for your visa application under this category.
To be eligible to support an application for a residence class visa under the Partnership Category, the New Zealand partner must also meet the character requirement. If your partner has been convicted, in the seven years prior to the date the application is made, of any offence involving domestic violence; or any offence of a sexual nature, he/she will not meet the character requirement for partners supporting Partnership Category applications, unless granted a character waiver.

If your New Zealand partner does not meet this character requirement, your application may be declined.

Your New Zealand partner also needs to meet the requirement as set out as below.

a. He or She have not previously supported more than one other successful principal applicant under Partnership Category; and

b. He or She have not supported any other successful principal applicant under Partnership Category in the five years immediately preceding the date the current application is made; and

c. not, in the seven years prior to the date the application is made, have been the perpetrator of an incident of domestic violence which has resulted in the grant of a resident visa to a person under the category for victims of domestic violence.

If your New Zealand partner was previously a successful principal applicant under Partnership Category then they will be considered to be eligible only if:

a. at least five years have elapsed since the date he or she was granted residence under the Partnership Category at the time the current application is made; and

b. he or she has not supported any other successful principal applicant under the Partnership Category.

Evidence

In order for your application to be successful on this category, it is very important that you provide evidence include as much information and as many documents as necessary. This is to show that your partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident and he or she is an eligible supporter for your application under partnership category.

You also need to provide an evidence of support by New Zealand citizen or resident partner
By filling the Partnership Support Form for Residence (INZ 1178), which confirms that the New Zealand partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident; and support for the application. The form includes a declaration that the New Zealand partner is eligible to support your application and is in a partnership with you that meets the minimum requirements for recognition of partnerships.

Here is the Example of the evidence of living together in partnership that is genuine and stable

i a marriage certificate for the parties;

ii a civil union certificate for the parties;

iii birth certificates of any children of the parties;

iv evidence of communication between the parties;

v photographs of the parties together;

vi documents indicating public recognition of the partnership

vii evidence of the parties being committed to each other both emotionally and exclusively such as evidence of:

– joint decision making and plans together
– sharing of parental obligations
– sharing of household activities
– sharing of companionship/spare time
– sharing of leisure and social activities
– presentation by the parties to outsiders as a couple.

iii correspondence (including postmarked envelopes) addressed to both principal applicant and partner at the same address

If you and your partner have been living separately for any period during their partnership, you should provide evidence of the length of the periods of separation, the reasons for them, and how your relationship was maintained during the periods of separation, such as letters, itemised telephone accounts or e-mail messages.